A mountain peak in China which is said to have inspired scenes in the hit 3D movie Avatar has been renamed by tourism bosses.

The "Southern Sky Column" in southern Hunan province has been officially renamed "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain" in a bid to boost tourism.

This morning hundreds of locals in Tujia costumes held an official renaming ceremony at the site where Hollywood photographers had spent four days shooting in 2008.

Standing 1,074 meters above the sea level the stunning peak is said to have inspired James Cameron to create the floating "Hallelujah Mountains" on the fictional planet of Pandora.  No, it doesn't float.